Welcome to qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix. Over the next 90 minutes we should see a fantastic fight for pole between McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari. At the end of the final practice session the top five cars were split by just over 0.2 seconds, it's incredibly close.

The sun is still beating down here so it will come down to pure pace rather than luck with weather.

McLaren's drivers Hamilton and Button are taking different approaches with set-up. Button is running the F-duct and Hamilton isn't. Hamilton set the fastest time in final practice and Button was 0.226 off in fifth place. But we don't know what fuel loads were being used and the gap is close enough for one mistake in Q3 to be very costly.

Mark Webber stopped on track in final practice with 20 minutes remaining in the session. He had an engine problem, reportedly an airbox fire, but Red Bull will not change the unit for qualifying.

An update on why Liuzzi was off the pace in final practice: "Tonio had a small software glitch which limited his running in the final part of the practice."

He was a second off Sutil in final practice and 18th overall.

So, just five minutes to go ahead of Q1 and the drivers are now getting into their cars.

The stands are packed with tifosi, all wanting Ferrari to stick it on pole. Alonso stands a very good chance and Massa looks pretty quick here too.

Glock is the first to head out in his Virgin. Most drivers are staying in their garages, waiting for the perfect time to head out for a clear lap when the track is at its best.

Schumacher, Rosberg, Hulkenberg and Petrov are now out on track.

Schumacher starts his flying lap, Glock got blocked by Petrov on his first attempt.

And Schumacher goes fastest with a 1:25.619, a tenth or so down on Hulkenberg.

Hamilton is out on track now. But he gets blocked by Yamamoto and that ruins his lap as he bounces over the chicane at Ascari.

All the front runners are on hard tyres at the moment.

Button goes fastest with a 1:23.693, over 0.5 seconds up on Petrov.

Alonso is on a quick lap as he completes sector two ... but his lap is only good enough for sixth.

Barrichello is second fastest with a 1:23.731.

Hamilton goes comfortably fastest with a brilliant lap: 1:22.830 on the hard tyre. Button is 0.2 seconds off.

At the bottom of the field we should see a scrap between Liuzzi, the Saubers and the Toro Rossos to avoid the drop.

Hamilton returns to the pits as Massa gets within 0.065 of the McLaren.

Vettel's best lap is only good enough for eighth ahead of Webber in ninth.

Alonso nips ahead of Hamilton by just 0.027 seconds.

The hard tyres are taking a few laps to get up to temperature and perform at their best.

Alonso improves again with a 1:22.646 but Massa is 0.3 seconds ahead of that time through sector one.

Massa is quicker than Alonso by 0.225, a very impressive lap.

Liuzzi's car has a problem and he will not be taking part again in Q1. He is out of qualifying.

The top six drivers are back in the garage, they won't need another run to secure their place in Q2.

All the other drivers bar Liuzzi are back out for another go.

Trulli gets up to 18th ahead of Liuzzi.

Kubica has popped in a time ahead of the two Red Bulls. Just 0.001 ahead of Vettel.

Senna is ahead of Yamamoto while both Lotuses are ahead of Liuzzi.

Just 0.040 separating the two Virgins at the end of this session, Glock ahead of di Grassi.

The stewards are investigating Petrov for blocking Glock at the start of the session and he probably will be penalised.

Glock has changed his gearbox so will start from the back of the grid tomorrow.

Alguersuari gets the second session underway as he leaves the pits.

The Ferraris and McLarens are straight out on track to get a banker lap in.

Hamilton makes way for Alonso as he warms up his tyre and finds a gap in the traffic behind the Ferrari.

Hamilton is out on soft tyres, the others are out on hards. Will Hamilton then take hard tyres in Q3?

Hamilton is massively faster than anyone through sector one ... and goes fastest of all with a 1:22.497.

Alonso is second, about 0.2 seconds behind Hamilton. Button is third and 0.45 off Hamilton.

Massa is fourth fastest and Webber is fifth.

Alonso is fastest by 0.200 seconds. Remeber Alonso is on the hard tyres and Hamilton is on the softs.

In the battle to make it through to Q3, Rosberg, Barrichello, Hulkenberg and Kubica look good.

Vettel is on a fast lap that should secure his place in Q3. The Red Bull is over 0.5 seconds off Alonso but ahead of Button and team-mate Webber.

Nobody feels safe and all the cars are either heading out for another run or preparing for one. Hvaing said that, Hamilton and Kubica are still in the pits.

Webber is way off on his first flying lap, but will have another attempt on soft tyres.

Sutil is up to 10th ahead of Barrichello.

Schumacher looks set to drop but will get one more attempt.

Barrichello is back ahead of Sutil by a tenth. Sutil can't improve and misses out on Q3 by 0.057.

Schumacher is 0.246 off tenth place and will have to settle for 12th on the grid.

Button is up to second place in this sessuon 0.060 off Alonso. It is still very close at the top.

The final session gets underway. Massa is out first, ahead of Webber and Alonso.

Vettel leaves the pits a little later on to get some free space on the track.

All drivers are out on the soft tyres.

Massa runs a touch wide at the second chicane and is a fraction slower than Alonso through the first and second sectors.

Alonso sets a 1:21.962 over half a second up on Massa. Button is second fastest, 0.3 off Alonso. Hamilton can only manage fourth.

Button backs off and will return to the pits for another set of tyres and another attempt.

Massa is having another attempt on this set of tyres.

Massa has improved on his time but is not as quick as Alonso. Massa goes third but is 0.3 seconds off Alonso.

Alonso is out for his final run on a new set of tyres. Vettel joins him.

Button heads out now, he and Massa will be the last to set their laps. Massa just gets out in time.

Alonso isn't going to improve on his lap by the looks of it.

Button sets a brillinat middle sector but it's not enough for pole he is 0.1 off Alonso. Massa stays third.

Webber beats Hamilton to fourth.

Hamilton made a number of small mistakes on his final lap and was behind Vettel on the track, which wouldn't have helped.

A great lap by Alonso, ahead of Button, Massa and Webber. Hamilton will have to hope his straight-line speed can get him through the field tomorrow.

Thank you for joining us, make sure you check back for all the post-qualifying reaction from the drivers and teams.

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